1 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:23,250 Hello and welcome to this special episode of the ESOcast. 2 00:00:23,250 --> 00:00:27,730 Leading up to ESO’s 50th anniversary in October 2012, 3 00:00:27,730 --> 00:00:30,420 we will showcase eight special features 4 00:00:30,420 --> 00:00:35,520 portraying ESO’s first 50 years of exploring the southern sky. 5 00:00:39,990 --> 00:00:43,750 Reaching out 6 00:00:45,710 --> 00:00:48,830 Stephane Guisard loves the stars. 7 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,340 No wonder he loves northern Chile, too. 8 00:00:53,390 --> 00:00:57,630 Here, the view of the Universe is amongst the best in the world. 9 00:00:59,170 --> 00:01:01,990 And no wonder he loves the European Southern Observatory 10 00:01:01,990 --> 00:01:04,760 — Europe’s eye on the sky. 11 00:01:05,910 --> 00:01:09,450 Stephane is a prize-winning French photographer and author. 12 00:01:11,300 --> 00:01:15,180 He is also one of ESO’s Photo Ambassadors. 13 00:01:19,980 --> 00:01:24,960 In breathtaking pictures, he captures the solitude of the Atacama desert, 14 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:27,890 the high-tech perfection of giant telescopes, 15 00:01:27,890 --> 00:01:31,730 and the magnificence of the night sky. 16 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,240 Like his fellow photo ambassadors from all over the world, 17 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,720 Stephane helps in spreading ESO’s message. 18 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,320 A message of curiosity, wonder and inspiration, 19 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,830 proclaimed through cooperation and outreach. 20 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,130 Cooperation has always been the basis of ESO’s success. 21 00:02:02,500 --> 00:02:03,500 Fifty years ago, 22 00:02:03,850 --> 00:02:05,340 the European Southern Observatory 23 00:02:05,630 --> 00:02:08,100 started out with five founding member states: 24 00:02:08,110 --> 00:02:12,350 Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. 25 00:02:12,750 --> 00:02:15,180 Soon, other European countries followed. 26 00:02:15,500 --> 00:02:21,620 Denmark in 1967. Italy and Switzerland in 1982. Portugal in 2001. 27 00:02:21,620 --> 00:02:23,850 The United Kingdom in 2002. 28 00:02:24,790 --> 00:02:28,940 Over the past decade, Finland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Austria 29 00:02:28,940 --> 00:02:32,570 also joined Europe’s largest astronomy organisation. 30 00:02:33,590 --> 00:02:37,150 Most recently, Brazil became ESO’s 15th Member State, 31 00:02:37,150 --> 00:02:40,150 and the first non-European country to join. 32 00:02:40,570 --> 00:02:42,380 Who knows what the future will bring? 33 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,710 Together, the Member States enable the best possible astronomical science 34 00:02:47,710 --> 00:02:50,730 at the world’s largest observatories. 35 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,300 It’s good for their economies, too. 36 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,730 ESO closely cooperates with industry, in both Europe and Chile. 37 00:03:14,650 --> 00:03:17,050 Access roads had to be constructed. 38 00:03:17,900 --> 00:03:19,810 Mountain tops had to be levelled. 39 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:24,370 The Italian industrial consortium AES 40 00:03:24,370 --> 00:03:28,560 built the main structure of the four VLT telescopes. 41 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:33,620 Each telescope weighs in at some 430 tonnes. 42 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:41,160 They also constructed the giant enclosures, each as high as a ten-storey building. 43 00:03:43,940 --> 00:03:48,910 The German glass company Schott produced the delicate VLT mirrors 44 00:03:48,910 --> 00:03:53,360 — over eight metres wide and just twenty centimetres thick. 45 00:03:54,820 --> 00:03:56,280 At REOSC in France, 46 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:01,020 the mirrors were polished to a precision of a millionth of a millimetre, 47 00:04:01,020 --> 00:04:04,270 before they made the long journey to Paranal. 48 00:04:09,460 --> 00:04:13,170 Meanwhile, universities and research institutes across Europe 49 00:04:13,170 --> 00:04:16,829 developed sensitive cameras and spectrometers. 50 00:04:18,829 --> 00:04:21,500 ESO’s telescopes are built with taxpayers' money. 51 00:04:21,500 --> 00:04:22,600 Your money. 52 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,740 And so you can take part in the excitement. 53 00:04:26,260 --> 00:04:31,050 For example, ESO’s website is a rich source of astronomical information, 54 00:04:31,050 --> 00:04:34,650 including thousands of beautiful pictures and videos. 55 00:04:37,070 --> 00:04:40,620 Also, ESO produces magazines, press releases, 56 00:04:40,620 --> 00:04:45,340 and video documentaries such as the one you’re watching right now. 57 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,180 And throughout the world, 58 00:04:49,180 --> 00:04:55,000 the European Southern Observatory contributes to exhibitions and science fairs. 59 00:05:00,030 --> 00:05:04,630 Countless ways to participate in the discovery of the cosmos! 60 00:05:06,770 --> 00:05:10,020 Did you know that the names of the four VLT telescopes 61 00:05:10,020 --> 00:05:12,450 were thought up by a young Chilean girl? 62 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,670 17-year old Jorssy Albanez Castilla 63 00:05:15,670 --> 00:05:20,790 suggested the names Antu, Kueyen, Melipal, and Yepun 64 00:05:20,790 --> 00:05:27,150 – meaning Sun, Moon, Southern Cross and Venus in the Mapuche language. 65 00:05:28,490 --> 00:05:32,430 Involving school children and students like Jorssy is important. 66 00:05:33,950 --> 00:05:36,830 That’s where ESO’s educational activities come in, 67 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,890 like student exercises and school lectures. 68 00:05:43,190 --> 00:05:47,060 When the planet Venus passed in front of the Sun in 2004, 69 00:05:47,060 --> 00:05:51,620 a special programme was aimed at European students and teachers. 70 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:59,030 And in 2009, during the International Year of Astronomy, 71 00:05:59,030 --> 00:06:03,980 ESO reached millions of school children and students all over the world. 72 00:06:03,980 --> 00:06:08,430 After all, today’s children are tomorrow’s astronomers. 73 00:06:13,490 --> 00:06:18,080 But in terms of outreach, nothing beats the Universe itself. 74 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,870 Astronomy is a visual science. 75 00:06:27,870 --> 00:06:34,200 Images of galaxies, star clusters and stellar nurseries fire our imagination. 76 00:06:39,010 --> 00:06:40,430 When not doing science, 77 00:06:40,430 --> 00:06:45,150 ESO's telescopes are sometimes used for the Cosmic Gems Programme 78 00:06:45,150 --> 00:06:50,220 — taking pictures just for the purpose of education and public outreach. 79 00:06:58,220 --> 00:07:02,110 After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. 80 00:07:05,110 --> 00:07:09,400 The general public can even take part in creating these staggering images, 81 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,130 through the Hidden Treasures competitions. 82 00:07:15,370 --> 00:07:21,620 Russian astronomy enthusiast Igor Chekalin won the competition in 2010. 83 00:07:23,270 --> 00:07:27,200 His marvellous images are based on real science data. 84 00:07:32,980 --> 00:07:35,750 Member states, industry and universities. 85 00:07:35,750 --> 00:07:38,520 By cooperating on all possible levels, 86 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,760 ESO has become one of the most successful astronomy organisations in the world. 87 00:07:44,420 --> 00:07:48,820 And through its engagement with the public, you are invited to join the adventure. 88 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,240 The Universe is yours to discover. 89 00:07:55,500 --> 00:07:59,800 This is Dr J, signing off from this special episode of the ESOcast. 90 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,980 Join me again next time for another cosmic adventure. 91 00:08:05,930 --> 00:08:08,230 ESOcast is produced by ESO, the European Southern Observatory. 92 00:08:09,690 --> 00:08:11,110 ESO, the European Southern Observatory, 93 00:08:11,110 --> 00:08:12,880 is the pre-eminent intergovernmental science and technology organisation in astronomy, 94 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,690 designing, constructing and operating the world’s most advanced ground-based telescopes. 95 00:08:18,230 --> 00:08:23,000 Transcription by ESO; translation by —